Air starting mechanism for oil-engines.



0. F. PERSSON. AIR STARTING MECHANISM FOR OIL ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED 0(51.5. 1912.

Patented Nov. 24. 1914.

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OTTO F. PIERSSON, 0F ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGIIOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

AIR STARTING MECHANISM FOR OIL-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

Application filed October 5, 1912. Serial No. 724,107.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OTTO F. PERssoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Erie,-county of Erie, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air Starting Mechanism for Oil-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to air start-' ing mechanism for oil en ines and has for its object to improve and simplify their con- 'struction.

In starting oil engines of the so-called high compression or constant pressure type it is necessary to provide some auxiliary means for starting them as compressed air for example. In multi-cylinder engines it is customary to equip one or two cylinders for this purpose although all of the cylinders can be employed if desired. During the starting period the fuel valves of the cylinders provided with air starting valves must be cut out of service to avoid dan erous high pressures in said cylinders. 0 viously it is desirable to add as little as possible to the mechanism employed in the normal operation. To this end I utilize the same mechanism that is employed in normal View partially in elevation and partially in section, of an engine fitted with my in proved mechanism; Fig. 2 is a detailed view showing the means for adjusting the length of the actuator; Fig. I is a slight modification; and Fig. 4 is a furthermodification of the actuator adjusting means.

5 indicates the cylinder of an internal combustion engine of the constant pressure type and 6 the head thereof. j Fuel is admitted to the engine by a pulverizer 7 undei; the control of a needle valve 8. This valve is normally held against its seat by the coiled compression spring 9. The valve is lifted by a means 10 which in this case comprises a lever supported by a fulcrum 11 carried by a post or support fastened to the head 6.

12 indicates a shaft that is driven by the main shaft of the engine at suitable speed. Mounted on the shaft are as many fuel cams 13 as there are cylinders.

14: indicates a fork that embraces the shaft and is suitably guided. Carried by the fork is an anti-friction roller 15 that rolls on the cam 13. The fork is connected to the lever 10 by an actuator 16. In the present instance this actuator-takes the form of a rod. This rod may act as a push rod or a pull rod depending upon the way the valves are arranged in the cylinder head. As shown the rod acts as a push rod to open the fuel valve, and as a pull rod to open the starting valve.

17 indicates the starting valve for admitting high pressure compressed air to the cylinder of the engine. It is provi led with a stem 18 that projects upwardly through the valve casing and in line with the lever 10. Under normal conditions the levcr 10 is vibrated by the cam shaft and actuator to open the fuel valve 8 and permit it to close under the action of the spring 1) without affecting the starting valve.

In order to start the engine under air pressure it is necessary to disconnect or temporarily render inoperative the fuel valve. To this end I change the lift of the actuator. This may be accimiplislwd in a variety of ivays. For example in Figs. 1 and 2, I show a double eccentric. In Fig. 3 a single eccentric is shown, and in Fig. 4 quick pitch screws are provided which are moved by a rack and pinion.

lcfcrring to Figs. 1 and .2, 19 indicates the upper and 20 the lower eccentrics. These eccentrics are all fastened-to the pin 2].. The upper eccentric is inclosed by a strap carried by the upper part of the actuator and the lower eccentric 20 is surrounded by eccentric straps that are formed in the fork or clevis 23, the latter being re- -movably secured to the rod 24 forming the To this end a handle is provided that has locking lugs 26 formed on its lower end, a spring 27 being provided to cause the looking lugs to engage the rod 24: when the handle is in the position shown, or to engage the main portion 16 of the actuator when the handle is raised. The path of the handle is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Rotating the handle from the lower position to the upper position will shorten the actuator 'by an amount equal to twice the throw of the eccentrics. The efiect of this is to lower the outer end of the lever 10 so that it no longer is in engagement with the collar 28 on the fuelyalve stem 'and'to cause it-to engage the stem 18 of the starting valve. This shortening of the actuator raises the roller 15 outof engagement with the cam "13 and brings the rollers 29, of which there are two, into engagement with the air starting cams carried by the cam shaft 12. The spindle for the rollers 29 is carried by the fork 14C.

30 pressure air is then admitted. to the start is provided with a head 37 that is bored out The operation of my invention is as follows: Assuming that it is desired to start the engine, the main shaft is turned over by a bar or other means until the piston in the air. starting cylinder is just past the dead center. The operator then swings the handle 25 from its lowest to its highest position and locks the same on the rod 16. High ing valve casing and the starting valve stem having been depressed by the lever 10, air enters the cylinder and starts the piston into motion. The motion of the piston is trans mitted through the connecting rod and main shaft to the cam shaft 12, and the cams 30 depress the starting valve once for each revolution of the cams. This means that the engine operates as an air motor. After the engine is well under way the handle 25 is swung back into the position shown in Fig. 1 which cuts out the air starting valve and puts the fuel val've into operation, after which the engine operates in the usual manner.

Referring to Fig, 3, 10 indicates the valve actuating lever, said lever being provided with an eccentric strap 31 at its outer end. Located in the strap is an eccentric 32 whose pivot 33 passes through a fork in the upper end of the actuator 16. The eccentric is provided with a handle 34 by means of which the effective length of the actuator 16-.

can be changed when the eccentric is moved through 180. The handle is normally held in place by a locking device 35.

In Fig. 4 is shown a further modification of the invention. The upper'end of the fork 14 is bored out to receive the quick-pitch screw 36. The lower end of the actuator 16 to receive the quick-pitch screw 38. The threads on the screws 36 and 38 are reversed. That is to say, one is a right hand thread and the other a left. These two screws are connected together, and at some point between them a pinion 39 is provided that meshes with a rack 40, the latter being guided in a casing 41 supported by the frame of the engine. The arrangement of the cams, rollers, etc., is the same as that described in connection with Fig. 1, and hence further reference is unnecessary. By moving the rack 40 to and fro the pinion 39 is rotated and with it the screws 36 and 38. When rotated in one direction the effective length of the actuator 16 is decreased, and when moved inthe opposite direction it is increased.

My invention has the advantage of affording a very simple and convenient means for cutting the fuel valve out of operation, and the starting valve into operation. The parts are simple in construction, cheap to manufacture, and are not liable to get out of order, and the organization is such that there is no danger of the operator making a mistake and throwing the wrong lever in starting the engine.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, 1 have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but

I desire to have it understood that'the apparatus shown is only illustrative, and that the invention can be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a.cylinder, a fuel valve, a starting valve, a cam shaft, a means adapted .to operate either the fuel Valve or the starting yalve according to-which of two paths of movement it has, an actuator" for transmitting motion from the shaft to the means, and a means for changing the length of said actuator toshift the first named means from 1 one path to the other.

2. In an internal combustion engine. the combination of a cylinder, a fuel valve, a starting valve, a lever pivotally supported in such manner that in one path of vibraonly on one of said valves in each of said paths, a camshaft, an actuator for transmitting motion. from the cam shaft to the 1 combination of a cylinder, a fuel valve, a

starting valve, a means so supported that 1t has two paths of movement and can act only on one of said valves in each of said,

paths, acam shaft, an actuator for transmitting motion from the cam shaft, to the means, and a double eccentric and handle for changing the length of the actuator to change the path of movement of said means.

5. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, a fucl'valve, a

starting valve, a lever that is pivoted at one side of the valves and is arranged to engage the stem of one valve in one path of vibration and the other in another path of vibration, a cam shaft for vibrating the lever, an actuator for transmitting motion from the shaft to the lever, a means for changing the length of said actuator, and a lock for holding said means in either of its positions.

4 In witnesses whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

OTTO F. PERSSON. 'Witnesses DORMAN WEAVER, J. M. SHERWIN. 

